Stamp-affixer.



P. L. JENNINGS.

STAMP AFFIXBR.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 24, 1907.

` Patented NOV. 10, 1908.

' MEETS-SHEET 1.

F. L. JENNINGS.

STAMP AFPIXER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 24, 1907.

Patented Nox/.10,1908

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

@I1/wanton Wigman@ tion I have shown Fig. 2. Fig. 6 presents a FRANK L.JENNINGS,

OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-RALF TO CHARLES T.WRIGHT, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

STAMP-AFFIXER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1o, 1908.

Application filed July 24, 1907. Serial No. 385,335. l

To all 'whom it ffm1/y concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. JENNINGS, a citizen of the United States,residingin the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Stamp-Aflixer, of which the following isa specification.

My present invention consists of a novel construction of stamp aiiixerby employment of which the stamps are positively fed into the properposition above the article to be stamped, and aixed thereon in areliable and eiiicient manner.

It further consists of a novel construction of feeding rollers for thestamping mechanism.

It further consists of a novel manner of securing the moisteningmechanism with respect to the casing of the device.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, fully setforth.

For the purpose of illustrating my invenbnt one form thereof since thisembodiment best illustrates the principles of my invention, in theaccompanying drawings, although it is obvious that the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variouslyarranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities asherein shown.

Figure 1 presents a perspective view of a device embodying my invention,the same being viewed from the rear. Fig. 2 presents a side elevation ofthe same, certain parts thereof having been removed for the sake ofclearness. Fig. 3 presents a side elevation, partly broken away, of themoistener and a portion of the casing. Fig. 4 presents a broken sectionon line m-m, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 presents a section on line y-fy,

longitudinal vertical section of my devicefcertain parts being removedfor the sake ofclearness of illustration. Fig.' 7 presents a transversesectional vieW of a portion of'the device showing more clearly certainparts seen in Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 8 presents a broken perspective viewof a portion of the device showing more clearly the stamp feedingrollers'and the actuating means therefor.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in thefigures.

all as will be hereinafter l plates or sides Referring to the drawingsz-My stamp afiixer and sealer comprises primarily a frame, a stampholding device, stamp feeding mechanism, cutting and impressingmechanism, and moistening and sealing means. The frame comprises a basel to which iss'ecured in any suitable manner, a side 2 and top 3, an end4 and a circular `[lange 5. To the base of the frame 1 is secured by anysuitable means, here shown separable, a guard 6 and an upright guide 7here united by bases 8 and 9 and secured to the base of the frame byscrews and solder, as best seen in Fig. 6.

The frame is closed preferably by two 10 and 11, of which 10 ispreferably of approximate circular shape to fit the flange 5, and 11covers the remainder of the opening shown in Fig. 6 and is secured tothe top, bottom and end or any parts thereof in any suitable manner. Theplate 10 is pivoted at 12, as best seen in Fig. 4, by means of a pin 13projecting into any suitable boss or fixed portion 14. A pin 15 at rightangles to the pin 13 lies within a groove 16 therein and permits freemovement of said pin 13 and consequently of the disk or plate 10 aboutthe center of this pin as an axis while preventing withdrawal of thesame while the pin 15 is in place. A bracket 17 is secured to orprojects from the end 4 of my frame for the proper support of thesealing mechanism and a counter of any suitable character 18 actuatedpreferably by oscillation of its shaft 19 is secured to the same end ofthe frame by screws 20. The back or face 2 of my machine-is preferablyapertured for a stud 21 inserted from theoutside and held in place bynut 22 for purposes hereinafter stated. A stud 23 is likewise securedwithin the back in any suitable manner and an opening 24 is'providedabove the base and beneath the aliXer to permit free movement of theenvelops therein while they are being acted upon by my machine, andpermit a series of stamps to be affixed.

Within the frame' of the machine are located a guide 25 upon ythe insideof the frame part 2 and a corresponding guide upon the plate 11 which ithas not been considered necessary to show, but which is located directlyopposite the guide 25 and vwhich cooperates with it to insure` truemovement of the aflixing plunger. Upon opposite sides of the base, Ihave formed extensions thereing action of, .26 and 27, which steady themachine against rocking and of which extension 27 short tube or core 31,which fits over and is suitably secured upon the stud 23 as best seen inFig; 6.' About the tube 31, I'loosely mount a roller 32 upon lwhich thestamps in the form of a strip are wound so as to rotate freely withinthe faces 30 should the rotation of the roller about the stud 23 be inany way retarded. The roller 32 will allow for the entire rotation ofthe roll of 'stamps if dired. I provide a brake for the roll of stampsin the form ofk a lever arm 33, which, among other uses, is adapted,when pressed by the pin 34, to engage thefcircumference of the roll ofstamps when this roll is full and to have a braking or retarding effectthereon at this time. This arm 33 is normally held away from its brakingor retardby means of a spring 35 attached to any fixed point 36.

The stamp feeding mecan'sm.-The stamps are adapted to be-fed by means ofrollers 37 and 38 between which the band -of stamps passes and whichgripthis band when the arm 33 is in the position shown in Fig. 6. The bandof stamps first, however,

passes overv the guard 6, which supports them if they be in the leastslacked and may be made to support them at all times if de-` sired, andthen between rollers 39 and 40. The rollers 37 and 39 are mounted inabox or casing whose top' 41 is preferably rigid with or made from thesame material as the lever arm 33, this box being formed in the formillustrated, by bending down the sides 42 thereof to form sup orts forthe ivots of these rollers at 43 an 44. This rame or casing'v is pivotedat 45-within arms 46. pro` jecting from sides 47 of the frame whichcarries the guard 6. Also within this same frame, pivots are formedwithin the sides 47 for the rollers 38 and 40. Upon the shafts these rolers. The roll of stamps of the rollers 37 and 39, as best seen in Fig.2, I place intermeshing gears 48 Vand 49 and upon the shaft of theroller 40, I place a preferably milled wheel 50. The gears 48 and 49 arein mesh in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 6, but lose this meshingposition when the lever 33 is depressed. At the same time, 'the rollers37 and 38 are released land the rollers 39 and 40 are drawn together andmay be brought completely together if the depression o the lever arm 33be great enough. This is the position for initial threadin of the b andof stamps through is placed upon the roller 32 and enough of the roll isdrawn oif to permit of insertion within the is depressed preer movemento f said roll of The end of the stamp band is fed stated, are at thistime separated suiliciently to permit the band to tween withoutnecessity rollers. y

Mostenz'ng mechanism-Within the plate 11, as best seen in Fig. 3, Iprovide key hole slots' 51, preferably two or more in number, withinwhich lit keys 52 headed at 53 and supporting a moistener 54 within saidslots, .said moistener comprising a casing closed except at the bottomthereof and provided with a sponge or other suitable medium 55 forapphcation of the moistening medium which 1s inserted in the formofliquid 56. This moistener is supported directly above the projection 27of the base of my machine and within reach of the envelops which passover the guide 28 against guard 57, so that envelops passed through atthis' point are moistened in the proper position for the stamp.

Stam cutting and impressing mechanz'sm.- ponguides 25, I mount a plungerhead 58, which is operated by means of handle 59 and opposed by spring60. This plunger mechanism carries at its lower end, a pad 61 and, atone side, a knife 62, which is intended to coperate with a knife edge 63in the frame part 7, said knife being at the bottom of the a erture 64in said frame part 7. Either knlfe 62 or 63 is placed slightly at anangle as seen in Fig. 5 in order that they may sever the stamps passingthrough said a vantage. I pre erably place my stamps in such a mannerthat when a stamp division is opposite the point 65, there are twostamps between that point and the knife 63 and a third stamp projectingbeyond for severance by knife 62. Suitably pivoted upon the plunger head58, I secure a pawl 66 held normally in the position shown in Fig. 8 bya spring 67. This pawl is in the position to pass freely therebe engagethe spurs 68 and 69 of a star or spur wheel 70, which is arranged torotate simultaneously with a gear wheel 7l pivoted upon the stud 21 andretained there bythe head 72, as best seen in Fig. 1. This gear 71meshes with a gear 73 rigidly secured/ to a sleeve 74 whose groove 75 topass over a spline 76 upon the shaft 77 of the roller 38. In thismanner, the spur wheel and roller feeding mechanism by which my stampstrip is advanced .with each movement of the plunger head, the end 78 ofthe pawl slipping over the spurs of the wheel 70 in its ,downwardmovement and engaging thereof operation of said gear 71 are made tooperate theAv erture 64 to the best adv permits the sleeve 90ans with onlits upward movement to advance the spur gear and gear 71 with eachupward movement of the plunger head. The spur gear is prevented fromreverse movement by depressed except when 'sponge a locking dog 79pivoted at any suitable point' as 8O in such position that the end 81normally tends to overweight the end 82, holding the dog in positionwith the end 81 the end 81 is engaged by the end 78 of the pawl. Thisfoccurs at the upper end of the stroke and therefore when the machine isnot in use. When the end 82 is thus depressed, it engages with a spur ofthe wheel 70 and prevents rotation of said wheel and consequent feedingof said stamps. At any suitable point u on the plunger head 58, I securea pin 83 w ich engages the edges of a slot 84 in lever 85,'b which theshaft 19 of my counter is oscilated, causing a record of each movementof said plunger to be made.

c The sealing mcham'sm.'-Preferably upon the bracket 17, I mount a`roller 86y pivoted upon shaft 87 and normally held in its downwardposition by the spring 88 in such manner that 'it shall engage roller 89secured within the frame in anyproper position, but preferably in suchpositlon that an envelop whose flap has been moistened beneath the 55may be sealed by passage between said rollers 86 and 89. In order ltolprotect the gears 71 and 73 and dog 79 wit their correlated parts frommec anical injury, dirt, etc., I provideacasing 90 which 1s securedthereto in any desired manner.

Operation- The stamps are laced upon the roller 32 and started throngthe rollers 39 and 40 upon depression of the'lever 33 and use of themilled'wheel 50, thus assing the strip of stamps between the ro lers 37and 38. 'Ihe lever 33 is then released and the rollers 37 and 38 graspthe strip and control its movement. These rollers are rostroke of theplunger,

tated by movement of the plunger 58 upon its upward stroke, so that thestri is fed forward sufficiently to project a sing e stamp past theknife 63 prior to the downward at which time the knife 62 cuts off saidstampwhich is then impressed by the pad 61, the plunger' at the sametime placing pawl .66 in position for engagement with a new. spur of thegear 70 and registering its movement. j The flap of the envelop is vmoistener, and the envelop'v is closed and passed through the lrollers86 and 89.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Lei-, ters Patent, is v 1. In a device of the characterdescribed,-

a stamp carrying roller, means for lcutting stamps therefrom andimpressing them, an

`a stri -feedlng and roller-retardin then moistened "beneath thelmechanism.

a feeding mechanism therebetween comprising a pair of grasping rollers,the upper of which is movable, means for rotating one of said rollers, apair of auxiliary rollerslying upon op osite sides of the stamp strip,la pivoted ame carrying one of each pair of rollers, determined by theaxes of said pair of rollers, and means for moving said frame about itspivot.,

2. In a device of the character described, a stamp receiving spool, animpressing and cutting mechanism therefor, and a combined feeding andspool retarding mechanism between them constructed to act upon theperiphery ofthe roll of stamps.

3. In a stamp-aixing machine, the combination with a stamp-aixingmechanism,

mechanism, a numbering device, means or actuating the numbering devicewith movements of the stamp-affixng mechanism, and means to positivelyrender said actuating. means inoperative during the downward movement ofthe stamp-afiixmg plunger.

4. In a device of the character a stamp carrying roller comprisingfaces, and a fixed tubular joining core and a tubular roller surroundingsaid core, an impressing and cuttin for and a combined fee ing androller-retarding mechanism between them.

5. In a device of the character described, a stamp receiving spool, animpressing and cutting mechanism therefor, feeding mechanism, aroller-retarding mechanism connected therewith, and means for depressingthe roller-retarding mechanism and releasing the feeding mechanism.

described,

combined with mechanism therela stamp receiving spool, an impressing andcutting mechanism therefor, feeding mechanism, a roller-retardingmechanism connected therewith, means for depressing the roller-retardingmechanism and releasing the feeding mechanism, and a numbering devicecooperating with the feeding mechanism and mounted for actuation withthe movements of the aiixing mechanism.

7 In a device of the character described, a stamp receiving spool, animpressing and cutting mechanism, 'a combined feeding androller-retarding mechanism between them, and a numbering the feedingmechanism `and mounted for actuation with the movements of the aiixingdevice coperating with.

'FnANKn'qJNNINGs- 1,

